The Dark Reality of China's Disciplinary Schools for Troubled Teens

Sat Dec 13 2025 10:27:57 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

An investigation into the hidden abuses within China's disciplinary schools reveals stories of severe mistreatment, including physical and sexual abuse, faced by 'rebellious' teens.

A comprehensive BBC investigation highlights the alarming conditions in China's schools for troubled teenagers, where corporal punishment, sexual abuse, and forced disappearances are reported. This industry preys on anxious parents seeking solutions for disobedience and mental health issues, despite regulations against such abusive practices. Testimonies from former students like Baobao and Enxu expose the harsh realities of these institutions, leading to calls for their closure amidst growing scrutiny and public outrage.

Warning: This report contains details of physical and sexual abuse and discussion of suicide.

Baobao's heart still races when she smells soil after morning rain. It takes her back to early military drills behind locked gates - and the constant fear that marked every one of her days at Lizheng Quality Education School.

For six months, aged 14, she barely left the red and white building in a remote Chinese village where instructors tried to 'fix' young people whose families considered them rebellious or problematic.

Students who failed to comply were subjected to severe repercussions, as Baobao reveals, recounting instances of beatings that left some unable to sleep or sit down for days. The trauma led her to contemplate suicide, as she notes the emotional scars still lingering today.

A BBC Eye investigation has uncovered multiple testimonies of physical abuse in this school and others within the same network, including incidents of abduction facilitated by individuals impersonating police. Corporal punishment is reportedly rampant, despite its ban in China, with accounts from 23 former students detailing severe beatings, sexual harassment by staff, and extreme disciplinary measures.

Conditions at these centers are dire, with claims that some students are forcibly taken by instructors posing as officials. The schools have managed to evade regulation due to their elusive nature, frequently changing names to escape scrutiny.

Enxu, another former student, shares her harrowing experience of being abducted and enduring a month of abuse at Shengbo Youth Psychological Growth Training School. Her escape was facilitated by public pressure after she sent letters documenting her torment to friends.

As the investigation reveals, the framework of these schools exploits social anxieties surrounding youth behavior, often leading parents to feel helpless and resort to punitive measures. Many like Baobao and Enxu now advocate against these institutions, urging for accountability and an end to practices that perpetuate trauma in the guise of discipline.

While some schools have faced shutdowns, the systemic issues allow them to reopen under new names, leaving vulnerable youths at risk of constant abuse. As more survivors come forward, the call for reform and regulation grows louder, aiming to protect the rights and safety of all children in these facilities.